I'm an independent woman who is perfectly happy living life by my own rules and not having to consult anyone when I decide to redecorate or change my living space in some significant way (other than for structural advice, or carpentry/construction tips and tricks, of course); therefore, I am not looking for marriage or a live-in relationship. I am currently dating hotmelomel in a really wonderful polyamorous relationship, which is why I show up as "Available," rather than "Single;" he lives with his primary, xbeccane. Men who interest me are good companions for just about anything - partying, intellectual/cultural activities, movies, etc. -- they can appreciate a woman who needs her own space and independence, challenge me intellectually, and appreciate a similar challenge. There's nothing hotter than an intelligent man who makes me giggle! If you are in any sort of committed relationship which your SO considers monogamous, or feel animosity or hatred toward any group of people because of things like race, faith, or sexual orientation, please don't waste your time or mine contacting me.

I have a strong masculine side and am sure there are those who have incorrectly speculated on my sexual orientation before getting to know me well as a result. This really doesn't bother me in the least, though - matter of fact, I find it amusing :-) It's funny, too, that my masculine side tends to be quite stereotypical - there are few who witness strong displays of emotion from me, and I almost never ask for directions. However (There's always a however!), in stereotypical feminine fashion, my inner compass needle seems to have lost a significant amount of it's magnetic charge (or rather, never had it to begin with) - as a result, I've been known to drive around aimlessly for an hour or more before finding my destination, which was only a few blocks away the entire time... And don't bother to ask me which way is north when we're inside a building; it'll take me at least fifteen minutes to figure it out, and I won't remember it for the next time! I also have to think for a moment about which way is left or right, though I'm about as right-handed as one can be. Yep, I'm quite a catch! ;-)

Seriously, this is only jovially self-deprecating - I'm actually somewhat proud of my more masculine tendencies. Basically, I wrote that mainly because I know there are men who are turned on by that sort of thing, and those who are turned off by it. What I'm really trying to say here is, "If you're looking for an uber-feminine woman, I'm not the one for you - please look elsewhere, as I'm not going to pretend I'm something I'm not to make you happy." I've been with my primary SO for nearly a year and a half, and he has yet to see me in a dress or skirt (though he will, in a few weeks, as we are attending an event together that will necessitate it) - don't hold your breath if that's what you want to see... I recently had a new acquaintance tell me, "I don't find you masculine at all." I know he meant that as a compliment and am appreciative of all sincere compliments, but I also know that by saying that and meaning it as a compliment, he just doesn't get me. Nice guy, though, and I consider him a friend :-)

But my lack of emotional display has served me quite well in my career, as my chosen field is still heavily dominated by men (Yeah, I'll admit it - I kinda like the odds ;-), and women who will cry when pushed are generally seen as weak in such an environment. I'm also not one of those women who finds it necessary to get chummy with "the new chick" because "We girls have to stick together," or to find women to befriend when I come in new - I don't identify with the majority of women, and I don't see any need or feel any obligation to force such issues. You'll also never find me involved in any sort of organization or activity that is exclusive to women. My experience has been that generally when you get a bunch of women together in one room, they will eventually start getting "catty," and I really hate that in such an environment, I will sometimes begin to revert to that way of thinking. It's sort of a defensive reaction, I guess, and I hate seeing traits like that come out in myself, so I just avoid putting myself in such a situation whenever possible.

I like Rock and Roll (classic as well as cutting edge and everything in between - my eclectic kids and I regularly share music); Blues and Jazz are favorites, but I can find something I like in nearly every genre. I generally don't care for Country music, except for some of the old standbys that are fun to get silly and sing along with - "Family Tradition," "You Don't Have to Call Me Darlin'," and "Redneck Mother," for example. I'm on a low carbohydrate diet when I'm behaving, and have an exercise routine that I try to do every morning. A very open-minded person who is, with varying success, constantly trying to improve herself mentally and physically, I am currently working toward my BSME, thanks to my great employee benefits.

Your religious beliefs are of no real consequence to me, and I will not try to sway you to my way of thinking - I expect the same in return. But if you are a regular churchgoer who would like a companion for that particular activity, I'm clearly not the one for you. If you're content to agree to disagree, and maybe would even like to discuss views without antagonism, we could probably get along just fine in that realm; this works much the same way where our political views are concerned.

Something that will likely either intrigue you, or perhaps completely turn you off: I am fascinated with tools and can spend hours browsing in a hardware store. Home Depot and Lowes are pretty cool, but little old neighborhood stores that have been around for decades are a special treat! I haven't found any such stores in Austin yet, but would like to, as my house is in need of some replacement drawer slides that I can't find online or in any typical hardware store. Speaking of my house, I have a lot of plans for renovation - I eventually plan to lay tile and hardwood and do some paneling and landscaping (in which I hope to include concrete walks) when I have the money for materials and can find the time and energy to work on it. It would be fun to have a companion to help or at least advise with tips and tricks, but don't think you can take over the project, 'cause I really want to do as much as possible myself!

*Update: I've gotten some tips on local hardware stores since the above was written, but haven't had a chance to check any of them out yet. But I'm still open to suggestions, and appreciate any information you can offer!*

I'm working toward my BSME; finished Calculus II last Spring - to my surprise, I ended up with a 'B', so I'm certainly happy with that! So far, I've been working on getting the Mathematics out of the way, after which I plan to start tackling the science. As mentioned above, I also have great plans for my house, but it's been necessary to put those plans on the back burner for now because of a lack of time and money. I moved to Austin in 2004, for my current Mechanical Design position with Applied Research Labs, a division of UTA, developing the latest SONAR technology. My main expertise here is in build fixtures and potting molds; when the need for those are filled, I busy myself with housings, mountings, writing assembly procedures, and occasionally, whatever no one else is willing to bother with (which, I'm sure you know, can be very tedious).

*Update* Been somewhat derailed from this path for a while - lost the mindset, and overwhelmed by work and personal life. But I expect whenever things ease up, I'll get the itch to start back on it...

I love working with my hands, and have several Family Handyman magazines filled with projects I'd love to start, although I have yet to get any real experience working on such things. I'm not generally very adept at sports (oh - except swimming - for distance, not speed - and I love kayaking and plan to get a kayak of my own one of these days), but there are some I like to "play at": bowling, volleyball, and rollerblading come to mind.

Probably my long hair. I tend to be pretty quiet unless I'm with people I know, but it doesn't take as long for me to come out and be myself these days as it used to.

I don't get a lot of time for recreational reading, but my daughter finally talked me into reading "To Sail Beyond the Sunset," which I am thoroughly enjoying. Most of my reading tends to be confined to online dribble, and CNN (more dribble), and the occasional trade mag when time at work permits.

Movies: I had left this category out without realizing it until my daughter brought it to my attention; guess that's because I don't get to see that many, but love many different types. Generally, I love a good comedy and anything that has a psychological twist or makes one think, in any genre. Haven't seen a good horror in ages and miss those for the shivers; last one I did see was The Grudge, which sucked, IMO. I hesitate to list titles I love, as I know it'll get too long and tedious and I'll leave out some of the best :-) There is also a list at least twice as long as I am tall of greats, old and new, that I haven't had a chance to check out. Wanna enjoy some with me?

As far as music is concerned, I'll listen to almost anything live, as the energy conveyed by a live performance is impossible to capture on a recording. I love to occasionally catch Leeann Atherton at any venue and have been to several of her barn dances. I am deeply disappointed that Toni Price has moved away - nearly every Tuesday night of my first several months here in Austin was spent listening to her at the Continental Club and watching/playing pool. Spoon is another local favorite, but I haven't caught them live yet.

Food? I'd probably put a gun to my head if I were told that I suddenly would have to give up meat, especially steak - I honestly don't believe I could live as any level of vegetarian! Texas Land and Cattle is my current favorite restaurant; I also love Kerby Lane and the Magnolia Cafe, but there are so many I have yet to try that I'm sure I could expand that list immensely, given the opportunity.

• My wonderful kids (an 18-year-old daughter who lives with me, and a 25-year-old son who does not; I miss him terribly, but usually see him a couple times a year)
• My independence
• My career
• Good music
• Steak
• My vehicle (which, basically, represents my independence - currently, a 2004 4-cylinder Toyota Tacoma - I love driving a truck, even if it is an adolescent one :-)

If you catch me zoning, I'm probably coming up with some elaborate pipe dreams for changes to one of the rooms in my house.

My Friday nights are no longer typical; I might be vegging at home, out with my daughter, on a date with hotmelomel, or at a concert with him and xBeccane.

I am a heavy drinker, which is one of the areas of my life I am working to improve, and I have made significant progress over the past few months. I have never been nonfunctional, but find that I become more productive as I drink less often, which encourages me to be strong and focused on my goal. My progress is slow, tough, and inconsistent at this point, but I wholeheartedly believe that I can overcome the habit without having to give up alcohol completely. I believe I am capable of anything I am truly determined to do, and this is a very important journey for me.

*Update* Progress in this area has diminished for now, but I am still confident that I will get back on track at some point. If you're not okay with someone who drinks quite a bit, we probably won't get along, as no amount of cajoling from another person is going to help - the motivation to improve oneself must come from within oneself.

If you're within a reasonable distance of Austin or planning a trip out this way, you like what you've read to this point, love to laugh and have fun, do things spontaneously, can write with reasonably correct grammar, spelling, and usage, and are a great kisser!

If you've answered a reasonable number of questions here and indicated your preferences honestly, believe the match percentages here are significant, and have good numbers with me... if you don't believe the numbers mean anything, you simply don't understand how the algorithm works, and that's likely one of the many reasons we don't have good numbers.

DO NOT contact me and ask me to write you off-site before we get to know each other; if you do, you will be promptly blocked and flagged, and likely deleted in short order, as I've come to recognize the scammer email format. IF we establish a good connection on-site, we can then take it off-site, and if you are someone who could possibly establish a relationship with me, that will probably only take two or three on-site emails to happen - have a little patience, will ya??

Also, don't bother contacting me if your idea of the poly lifestyle has to do with getting as much sex as possible with as many different partners as possible without any emotional investment - nothing could be further from the truth, and I have no interest whatsoever in "hooking up" with someone I have no real interest in otherwise, no matter how hot you might be (or think you are - those who have that mindset don't turn me on in the least).

If you don't like or love me for what I am now, you simply don't like or love me at all. Don't contact me if you think you're going to "mold me into someone who can cherish you as much as you cherish me," to paraphrase that classic sappy-ass song - there are billions of people in the world, and each one is different - there have to be many out there who are naturally right for you to a large degree - why make someone miserable by expecting them to act like someone they're not, in order to make you happy? We are each responsible for our own happiness, and no one else's; likewise, no one else is responsible for our happiness. Deal with it, and stop expecting someone else to make you happy if you're not already.